Will cuts affect the Libya enterprise?

on Wednesday, 03 August 2011. Posted in News

There are fears in the Government that if the Defence Budget does not increase then Britain may not be able to achieve its goals in Libya

The Armed Forces Minister today has stated that he agree with a select committee recommendation that the budget for the armed forces must increase in real terms due to current commitments in Libya even with a long term withdrawal from Afghanistan. Mr Harvey has said that the current situation means the armed forces are being worked harder, however was quick to confirm they were not being overstretched.

This comes at a pivotal time for Britain in the Libyan conflict, as more pressure is mounted on the Government to make decisions on the extent to which they are willing to back rebel forces on the ground in their fight against Colonel Gaddafi. Nucleus has already calls for decisions to be made and for a stronger line towards Gaddafi over the past weeks. This news comes as a welcome sign that those in the know are willing to make the effort to stand behind the military if the conflict worsens and if we do become involved directly in the war.

What the politicians say...

The Rt. Hon. Liam Fox MP, Defence Secretary - "The Committee is also right to say that Future Force 2020 is only achievable with extra funding. That is why I announced two weeks ago that the military equipment budget will rise in real terms by over £3bn between 2015 and 2020, with new helicopters being ordered, new money for our armoured vehicles, the carrier programme, and guaranteed spending on the Joint Strike Fighter. Our future equipment programme is no longer an unfunded aspiration but one that provides real money for real equipment...We continue to have the fourth largest military budget in the world and the SDSR has put Defence back on a stable footing with highly capable Armed Forces and certainty for our personnel and their families. I am pushing through radical reform to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated"

What the papers say...

Speaking on Radio 4's Today Programme Mr Harvey said he agreed with James Arbuthnot, the chairman of the defence select committee, that increases in real terms would be needed to meet the aspirations of the recent defence review. The Telegraph

Those in Westminster are fond of describing this or that report from a select committee as "damning" in its criticism of government policy. On this occasion, it's deserved because the defence committee has essentially driven a coach and horses through the coalition's defence of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Sky News

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Libya: UK and France continue the squeeze but patience wears thin

on Tuesday, 02 August 2011. Posted in News

There is serious need for a stronger strategy towards the conflict

Libya: UK and France continue the squeeze but patience wears thin

On Libya, the Foreign Secretary keeps his resolve but political patience wears thin as the UK and France continue the squeeze. London and Paris need to clarify a joint strategy for the Libyan endgame. France and Britain are fighting one war with two political strategies. The UK politics are drifting around ‘how-can-we-end-this’ hand-wringing around whether or not Gaddafi can be left in Libya and grumblings that everyone knew this would be a long haul apart from Dave. Yesterday’s William Hague interview reveals three reasons for continuing in Libya: it’s working, we will not withdraw and we have saved thousands of lives.

We are currently at a precipice in the strategy for Libya and if the government continues its unease then it will soon allow the media to take control of the policy. It is time for the leaders of Britain and France to come together and agree on a strong strategy moving forward to bring a swift and positive end to this conflict.

What the politicians say...

William Hague MP, Foreign Secretary -

"It's not a computer game where you are bored with it and you put it to one side. This is something you follow through in the real world."

"[I] ask them to remember that in a conflict things do not go in an even manner, there are things that happen that disturb us, there are things that happen of course, that are unexpected, but we have to pursue this and go through to success."

"What we have done so far has been a success in achieving the objectives of saving civilian life. Now we want to see a political settlement and that involves the departure of Col Gaddafi. So that is something we continue to work on and we'll continue to implement the UN resolution for as long as it is necessary to do so."

What the papers say...

Hague refuses to put timeline on operations in Libya. William Hague played down hopes of an early end to the Libyan conflict yesterday as he warned that the military campaign was not a computer game that could be switched off. More than four months after Britain... The Independent

...but the Foreign Affairs Select Committee urge negotiation:Libya war 2011: Talk to Gaddafi to end stalemate, says Richard Ottaway. The conflict in Libya has reached a 'stalemate' and Britain will have to open talks with Colonel Gaddafi's regime, a senior Conservative MP has warned. Richard Ottaway, chairman of the ' powerful Foreign Affairs... Mail Online